The Concept of the History of Intelligence in Schelling’s System of Transcendental Idealism
Aristotelis Ioannis Paschalidis
Journal of Transcendental Philosophy July 28, 2025 DOI: 10.1515/jtph-2025-0005 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Theoretical or philosophical paper Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Key points | Argues that Schelling's concept of history in the System of Transcendental Idealism should be understood as the development of an overarching self reflecting on itself, ultimately striving toward full self-knowledge. The author proposes a novel interpretation of how the self becomes conscious of the original harmony between subjective and objective, and examines how consciousness evolves through Schelling's three historical periods in relation to death and God. |
Abstract
Abstract In this paper, I explore the role of the history of intelligence in relation to the realization of the ideal in F.W.J. Schelling’s System of Transcendental Idealism (1800). To this end, I examine Schelling’s concept of history as an unfolding process and analyze his division of history into three “periods”. A central theme here is how Schelling’s depiction of consciousness evolves throughout these periods and how it relates to the concepts of death and God, with dead nature functioning both as a remnant and a necessary condition for historical progress. Additionally, I engage with the problem Schelling poses concerning how the self can become conscious of the original harmony between subjective and objective, offering a novel interpretative approach. I conclude by arguing that Schelling’s concept of history should be understood as the development of an overarching self reflecting on itself, ultimately striving toward the attainment of full self-knowledge.